Comesa Business Council pushes for business continuity

Comesa Business Council (CBC) says it has put in place measures to ensure continuity of its business operations, including addressing policy and trade facilitation issues for its members amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

CBC second vice-president James Chimwaza, who is also Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said in a written response that the council will continue to promote the continued flow of goods and services within this period in view of trade restrictive measures that countries are applying.

“CBC through various engagements with its members and association

s developed a position report, which presented a declaration and recommendations addressing some of the existing challenges in the facilitation of movement of essential goods and transit cargo and treatment of truck drivers along the borders,” he said.

Chimwaza said the guidelines are a useful tool for ensuring harmonisation of approaches and facilitation of the speedier movements of goods.

He said CBC is also creating a digital payment platform for micro, small and medium enterprises in the Comesa region to facilitate cross-border payments.

Cross-border Traders Association of Malawi president Steve Yohane has applauded measures taken by the council to ensure trade continuity.

He said: “That Covid-19 disrupted value chains and the way we conduct businesses as traders is not news and is something that was inevitable.

“However, we have been able to trade, thanks to the policies put in place to ensure business continues.”

Ministry of Trade spokesperson Mayeso Msokera earlier admitted that Covid-19 has affected volumes of trade between Malawi and its major trading partners.